A month after the state Public Utility Commission announced it was seeking $5.1 million in fines from National Utilities Inc., which provides water to nearly 200 households in Heidelberg Heights, the PUC held hearings in Germansville on NUI's plan for a 50 percent rate hike.

In neighboring North Whitehall Township, the Wynnewood Water and Sewer Co., which has been operating for at least six years without a PUC certificate, announced yesterday it plans to raise sewer rates by more than 100 percent.

Dozens of NUI customers protested the proposed rate hike at two PUC hearings Thursday. Randi Peshkin, who has lived in Heidelberg Heights in Heidelberg Township for eight years, said the current rate of $41.48 a month for 4,000 gallons is too high for a service plagued by leaks and pressure problems.

NUI has asked the PUC for permission to increase the rate to $61.79.

"What we want is for the PUC to put pressure on National Utilities to improve the water service," Peshkin said. "I'm at the height of Heidelberg Heights and I average about 20 days a year when I have no water. When I do get it, it's dark, it's cloudy, I don't know if its drinkable," she said.

The PUC is seeking $5.1 million in fines from Scranton-based NUI., which also provides water to thousands of other customers through the Hamilton, Mountainhome and Pocono water companies in Monroe County.

The PUC has alleged that NUI does not continually disinfect its water, conduct pressure surveys or have a leak-control program.

Complaints also have surfaced about Wynnewood Water and Sewer Co., which serves about 120 homes in the Wynnewood Terrace development in the Laurys Station section of North Whitehall. Residents have complained about low water pressure and system shutdowns during periods of high water use.

The sewer system, however, has not drawn such complaints. Wynnewood, which filed for a PUC certificate April 1, wants to increase residential sewer bills from $75 a quarter to $52.05 a month.

PUC attorney Stanley E. Brown said the PUC has not yet acted on Wynnewood's certificate application. As for the rate proposal, he said the PUC would hold hearings before making a decision.